Germany passes private pension overhaul to drive equity investment
Germany approves equity-focused pension reform with cost caps, raising concerns over second pillar competition
PRI mulls building out asset owner role in initiatives like Spring
First progress report shows how nature-focussed collaborative engagement initiative has laid ‘groundwork from which investors can leverage stewardship activities’
Italian doctors’ fund eyes €120m SME push through National Strategic Fund
Enpam tenders €120m domestic equity mandate via Fondo Nazionale Strategico Indiretto to support Italian SMEs and market liquidity
UK local authority funds earmark 3-5% of assets to local investments
West Midlands Pension Fund and the South Yorkshire Pensions Authority have updated their respective investment strategy statements
AEIP flags cost, complexity concerns over EU IORP II revision
The association criticises EU pension reform, warning new rules could burden paritarian IORPs without adding member value
Record funding ratios prompt DAX firms to rethink pension strategies, allocations
DAX firms achieved a 2.2% return on pension assets through active management, navigating a challenging economic and geopolitical environment, says WTW
Dental pension fund swaps Apollo loan for direct financing in de-risking move
VZB, Berlin’s dental pension fund, replaces Apollo loan with direct financing to mitigate economic and legal risks
Sweden’s FTN rebuts legal challenge over €18bn fund procurement
FTN dismisses all Indecap Fonder’s claims in its application to overturn results of agency’s largest procurement
Mandatory pensions seen as key to boosting SME coverage, German study finds
German SMEs favour mandatory pensions as low-earner coverage weakens and voluntary schemes lose traction
Portuguese pension funds return 5.1% for 2025
2025 was a strong year for European equities, which had lagged US equities in most recent years, says WTW
People moves: HSBC AM names CEO for alternatives
Thorsten Michalik succeeds Joanna Munro, who is retiring after more than 40 years in asset management, of which 20 have been with HSBC
Denmark’s AkademikerPension divests US company for nuclear weapons links
Pension fund blacklists three Chinese firms and one US firm for links to aiding nuclear weapons outside the EU
DAX firms push fully funded pensions despite regulatory complexity
German corporates increasingly fund pension liabilities fully, strengthening governance, reducing risk, and supporting profitability amid regulation
UK authority embraces supervision as ESG frameworks mature
Financial Conduct Authority signals end of rule-heavy ESG phase, prioritising supervision and embedding existing sustainability frameworks
Pension funds drive recovery in German Spezialfonds after lean years
German pension funds led a sharp rebound in Spezialfonds inflows, as institutional demand recovered strongly in 2025
Essentra pension plan completes £104m buy-in deal with Aviva
The transaction, which secures benefits of both deferred and pensioner members, is the second deal between Aviva and the plan’s trustees
UK Lords back DC scale exemption in Pension Schemes Bill
Peers approve DC scale exemption, challenging UK consolidation push and reinforcing focus on member outcomes
Norway’s SWF says UK should be stricter in green reporting proposal
NBIM responds to FCA’s proposed new sustainability disclosure rules for listed companies; calls for timelines for Scope 3 emissions reporting to become mandatory
Church of England Pensions Board to vote against climate-backtracking banks
‘No’ votes already planned for AGMs of NatWest, Santander, and HSBC
LifeSight to launch retirement CDC solution
The collective defined contribution solution will help address growing challenge of converting DC savings into sustainable retirement income
Icelandic pension fund majors beat the average, as inflation weighs on all
Gildi reports 3.3% real return for 2025, LV produces 3.2%, while smaller Stapi delivers 1.8%
TPT Retirement Solutions hires superfund head to evolve proposition
Steve Collins was hired as TPT’s new head of superfund to play a ‘key role’ in helping bring the proposition to market
Financial analysts’ culture shapes production of long-term info, research finds
Inherited cultural values around long-term thinking underappreciated in financial markets, says co-author
Panasonic pension plan completes bulk purchase annuity transaction with M&G
The £140m transaction is M&G’s first to use LCP’s streamlined buy-in service
BlackRock calls for long-term focus to boost Europe’s savings and capital markets
CEO Larry Fink urges Europeans to prioritise long-term savings investment, boosting wealth, pensions and domestic capital markets
IORP II review: EFAMA adds to pushback against performance benchmarking proposal
Plus: PEPP 5% private assets cap ‘restrictive’ and member states’ buy-in key for supplementary pensions package success
AP7 raises bar for gender diverse boards in Japan, India in new voting policy
Swedish pensions giant updates voting policy for 2026 AGMs for its 2,000-company portfolio
Germany eyes boost in pension investment via global equities
Policymakers and industry push to expand occupational and private pensions, eyeing equity markets to drive returns
SV Pensionsfonds takes over €900m liabilities from Hamburger Sparkasse
Haspa offloads €900m pension liabilities to SV Pensionsfonds in de-risking deal, lifting its assets to €1.5bn
Alecta’s future as ITP provider hangs in balance after regulator ruling
‘In worst-case scenario’, Sweden’s largest pension fund could be removed as provider of key occupational pension scheme
UK urged to stay ‘open-minded’ on CDC as employer interest grows
First Bus, the UK’s largest transport operator, is watching the development of collective defined contribution ‘with interest’
BaFin cautions EU Commission over IORP II review
Germany’s regulator warns IORP II review risks adding complexity, as market fragility and reform pressures intensify
Austria’s VBV Pensionskasse CEO to step down amid restructuring
VBV has decided not to extend Günther Schiendl’s contract as it progresses with a restructuring process
German dentists’ pension fund rejects industry association claims
ABV, Germany’s association of pension funds for professionals, is pressing for faster audit of VZB
Pension investors warn of reporting burden as ISSB updates SASB standards
EFRAG has warned that many SASB metrics overlap with those already mandated under ESRS
UK Lords vote to scrap ‘mandation’ power from pensions bill
Peers remove investment powers from Pension Schemes Bill, casting doubt on plans to boost domestic growth funding
Swedish funds agency plans launch of €2.7bn healthcare/biotech tender
FTN says comparative returns data for first tracker procurement shows premium pension reform set to deliver average 0.5% point higher returns
EU consults on taxonomy revisions as member states debate its role in SFDR
A document seen by IPE shows that member states broadly support plans to use the taxonomy as an alternative measure of credibility to SFDR-set portfolio rules
NBIM lays out expectations on nature
Update is part of wider push from investors, including Railpen, Storebrand, Robeco, and Impax
UK government announces expert group to work on fiduciary duty guidance
Guidance is intended to clarify how fiduciary duty applies in the context of systemic risks and opportunities, such as climate change
IBM winds up Austrian pension fund after shifting liabilities to VBV
Transfer of defined benefit liabilities to VBV triggers closure of Austrian corporate pension fund, underscoring consolidation trend
Smart Pension unveils UK-first human capital benchmark for £4.4bn equity fund
The pensions provider partnered with Denominator to analyse leadership diversity, workforce practices, employee turnover, and pay gaps
People moves: AP Pension picks former Velliv chief
Steen Michael Erichsen, former CEO of Velliv, has been appointed as AP Pension’s partner director
Denmark’s Sampension replaces chief executive officer
CEO Hasse Jørgensen has left the Danish pensions firm with immediate effect, to be replaced by Mads Smith Hansen
Railpen steps up focus on water and biodiversity
UK pension scheme will publish engagement plans over coming months
Swiss pension funds warned of liquidity risks as alternatives allocations climb
Andreas Rothacher of Complementa urges stricter liquidity planning as Swiss pension funds increase allocations to illiquid assets
Alecta agrees with FSA’s SEK50m fine for Heimstaden Bostad failings
Swedish pensions giant found at fault for pouring SEK50bn into residential investment where agreement was skewed from the start
SV SparkassenVersicherung moves into pension administration
SV SparkassenVersicherung invests in Heubeck pen@min to expand bAV capabilities as German pension reforms accelerate market shift
University of Bristol pension fund appoints fiduciary manager
The £220m mandate was awarded to Van Lanschot Kempen
Credit Suisse AT1 fallout: pension investors face claims deadline
Pension funds weigh legal action as deadline nears over $17bn Credit Suisse AT1 wipeout claims
